ISTANBUL – Heimo Laakkonen has been appointed as the new Director of UNFPA’s Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia and arrived in Istanbul in March to assume his new position.

“I am very excited to lead UNFPA’s work in Eastern Europe and Central Asia,” said Mr. Laakkonen. “We have made real progress in improving the lives of women and young people in this region, but not everyone has benefitted equally. Much remains to be done to ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health, promote gender equality and nurture young people’s potential.”

Mr. Laakkonen joined UNFPA in 2010, as Chief of the Fund’s Resource Mobilization Branch in New York. Prior to working for UNFPA, he served for over ten years as UNICEF Representative in Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Kenya and Tanzania, and worked for UNESCO in the Eastern Caribbean in the mid-1980s. Mr. Laakkonen served in the Foreign Service of Finland from 1987 to 1998 and held senior positions both in the capital Helsinki and at the diplomatic missions in Tanzania and India.

Mr. Laakkonen took over from Werner Haug, who retired this month, having headed the Regional Office since June 2012.

UNFPA’s Regional Office in Istanbul provides strategic support and technical expertise to partners and country offices in nearly 20 countries across Eastern Europe and Central Asia.